The Gatehouse Tavern, Coventry

An undressed brick build in what does appear to be an old Methodist chapel but is in fact the gatehouse of the North Warwickshire Weaving and Spinning, Worsted and Woollen & Co factory which closed in 1963. Has a large beer garden and is in the GBG 2010. The interior is a one-roomer with the serving bar to the right on entry. The decor is undressed brick with a red ceiling and a nice wooden trussed roof. There is a stained glass window, depicting the 6 Nations rugby teams and there is other rugby memorabilia dotted about - along with old Guinness adverts. Rugby was also on two of the three TVs, with an X-Factory programme on the other. The place did a reasonably cheap menu - but we just had a round of crisps. Service was fine and the place was busy enough with a mixed crowd. There was no background music. Beer; tap stuff with 5 handpulls; Bass, London Pride, Robin Hood Bitter, Warwickshire Moustache and a decent Church End Bottom's Up Another decent place, with a decent beer range - again, worth a try and i would more than happily return

A conversion of a small chapel ,the stained glass window now depicts the six nation rugby teams.The interior is oblong with the bar running most of the length of the right hand side with tables and chaires arranged around the otherside walls ,leaving a central vertical drinking area.The pub is very committed to televised sport,a good calm place in Cov to watch and there is also a focus on real ale with 5 handpumps operating on my visit serving London Pride,Bass,Springhead Roaring Meg,St Austall's Tribute and Dorothy Goodbody's Summer Ale which was refreshing on a sweaty evening.Food is served and seemed typical pub grub from sandwiches to main meals and pies around £5-£6 and there is a large exterior paved area with benches where smokers gather and a raised grassy area,great for good weather drinking.The customer base was mainly middle aged and the yoof pub crawlers tend to pass by.I thought the ale selection wasnt too adventurous for a GBG regular but the overall package at The Gatehouse means it is worth a visit,especially as Hill Street contains some fine old buildings.Friendly welcome.

Just added some photos from my April 2007 visit to this Good Beer Guide pub, and it is still in the 2010 edition. The stained glass windows depict the six nations rugby teams. It has the biggest beer garden in the city centre. The beer is fine too.

The Gatehouse official site, includes real ale details - www.gatehousetavern.com